After seven months of drama, 4,397 stories on TSN/Sportsnet and 1,298,375,984 blogs on the subject, Mats Sundin will make his triumphant return to the ice against your Mighty Edmonton Oilers tonight.

Sundin will be playing alongside Kyle Wellwood and Mason Betha and will be expected by most delusional Canucks fans to bring the entire NHL to it’s knees within moments of stepping on the surface of RX1.

You will forgive us if we don’t share the same enthusiasm or hope for a guy who will be 38 in February. Sure, Sundin is a remarkably steady NHL player having scored 37, 31, 31, 27 and 32 goals in his past five full seasons. But he was drafted the year that Sam Gagner was born and that makes him, oh what’s the word here:

Old.

Old and cranky as evidenced by his dithering and wavering for months on end, while Canucks GM Mike Gillis sat and waited for word on his generous two-year $20 million contract offer. If someone offered us $20 million to do anything including being the "hair eater at Eveline Charles" we would say yes so fast it would make your head explode. But not ol' Mats. That's not his style.

First Sundin debated whether he wanted to suit up in the NHL ever again. Then he pondered which team best suited his skills and had the best chance at giving him a shot at ye olde Stanley Cup. Then he decided to sit on the decision until even the most ardent talking heads at Sportsnet were tired of talking about the issue and the season was almost half over.

And then, just when no one really had the energy or interest to care anymore -- he decided.

(Swoon)

For a guy who famously quipped that he didn’t "want to become a rental player" his one-year deal for a pro-rated $8.26 million seems exactly that. We seriously doubt that the Canucks would be considered odds-on-favorites this year by anyone living outside of a 10-block radius of GM Place and a one-year deal under isn’t exactly an assurance that he is arriving to build much of anything long term.

For a guy with $74,042,632 in career earnings -- big ups to Deep Oil (incredibly) -- it can’t be the money though that brought him back, can it? How many IKEA Ormsorgs and ABBA box sets does one need exactly? Doesn’t appearing in a string of unbelievably bad Pokerstars ads pay as well as we would guess it does?

Perhaps one of you genius citizens of the Nation can explain the logic of his signing to us. Explain slowly for as it has been pointed out repeatedly we have the intelligence of a three-year-old who doesn’t pay attention.

Either way, we are sick and tired of smelling/seeing/hearing about Mats Sundin’s signing drama-rama every time we turn on the TV. Now we can settle in to a non stop barrage of 24/7 Sundin coverage as he skates to a measly 15 goals and the Canucks bow out of the first round.

Sweet.

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Although the contract is a ridiculous overpay Sundin still makes the Canucks way better in my opinion. They keep winning even though their only good player has been injured half the year. There is no team in the league who wouldnt be way better with an extra 20 goal scorer added to their second line. But really, 10 mil???? Thats insane.

And Sundin is a terrific signing for the Canucks. I'm not going to bother defending that because while he may not be worth the money, does anyone seriously believe the Canucks are better without him?

As for the irritatingly constant Sundin updates that people were putting out every second day (hello, TSN, Toronto Media, Vancouver Media, Sportsnet, and Eklund), I think the blame for that falls more on the press than Sundin. I know they need to generate copy, but does it say bad things about the Canadian sports media that they'd chose to cover a story that never changes rather than put the time/space into other items? I think it does.

As for the irritatingly constant Sundin updates that people were putting out every second day (hello, TSN, Toronto Media, Vancouver Media, Sportsnet, and Eklund), I think the blame for that falls more on the press than Sundin. I know they need to generate copy, but does it say bad things about the Canadian sports media that they’d chose to cover a story that never changes rather than put the time/space into other items? I think it does.

I couldn't agree more, JW.

That being said, I will be in attendance tonight at RX1 and I am thouroughly going to enjoy booing Sundin ayntime he steps foot on the ice.

If someone offered us $20 million dollars to do anything including being the ”hair eater at Eveline Charles” we would say yes so fast it would make your head explode.

Not to inflate your ego, Wayne, but that's the funniest thing I've read in weeks. And I, too, would eat hair from a spa for $20M. I wouldn't even ask what kind. $20M = Yum, yum. All that aside, I wouldn't label Mats' return to the ice tonight as 'triumphant' just yet. The Oil still have some say in that.

bdubya wrote:

Although the contract is a ridiculous overpay Sundin still makes the Canucks way better in my opinion. They keep winning even though their only good player has been injured half the year. There is no team in the league who wouldnt be way better with an extra 20 goal scorer added to their second line.

True that. Money aside (and I know that's hard, but ignore the dollars for a second) if Mats offered to play here, the Oilers would take him. Anyone would. He's a good player, even at 38. If anyone thinks that Vancouver is still the weak-sister team they were labelled as at the start of the season, they need to give their head a shake and smell the coffee. Vancouver has proven that they're capable of getting a dance invitation this spring, and that's more than the Oil have done thus far. Be afraid, Oil fans; be very afraid.

Just like every Forsberg return, he'll have flashes of brilliance early on and then will get injured, most likely a groin, and then will be a lame duck Canuck for the rest of the year.
Or the old prick will light it up and burn the Oil every time they play.

Like really.... Who Cares!!! Im suprised he wasn't on the All Star ballet being the great and mighty savior that he is.

I know why he went to Vancouver though. Mats wants to make the Swedish Olympic team in 2010 and with a house in Vancouver the team could stay over, I mean what could be better for team building. I can see it now, the Sedins in one room braiding each others creepy beards much like they did in their childhood back home in the Fjords of Sweden. Mr. Sundin, goalie coach Tommi Salo, and Victor Hedman in another part of the house doing a stiring rendition of Abba's "Fernando", and Henrik Zetterberg, Nikolas Lidstrom and strength and conditioning consultant Peter Forsberg somewhere in the house putting together a dresser from Ikea all the while eating meatballs. Ohhh... if only the walls could talk.

Like really…. Who Cares!!! Im suprised he wasn’t on the All Star ballet being the great and mighty savior that he is.
I know why he went to Vancouver though. Mats wants to make the Swedish Olympic team in 2010 and with a house in Vancouver the team could stay over, I mean what could be better for team building. I can see it now, the Sedins in one room braiding each others creepy beards much like they did in their childhood back home in the Fjords of Sweden. Mr. Sundin, goalie coach Tommi Salo, and Victor Hedman in another part of the house doing a stiring rendition of Abba’s “Fernando”, and Henrik Zetterberg, Nikolas Lidstrom and strength and conditioning consultant Peter Forsberg somewhere in the house putting together a dresser from Ikea all the while eating meatballs. Ohhh… if only the walls could talk.

Mats is using the canucks to keep tuned as he held his poker cards too long and should of acted in July if he wanted to play for NYR. The cap ended up being his worst enemy. This is a trial dating period or common law relationship with the canucks (not engaged) - if the time in YVR does not appeal for various reasons (rain, snow, travel,) then he can pull the pin and have a do over in July and we will have to face all of this AGAIN. It is noted that Sundin's addition will be worth some games to the NUCKS - 3 - 7 games maybe and if that puts playoff money in the bank - then this is a win - win for that organization and Sundin. Will announcer - John Garrett for sportsnet being using first names when the twins and Mats are on the ice together.... ????